


Sakuma

by ryusei



Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-06-07 09:42:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6798757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryusei/pseuds/ryusei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sakuma hasn't touched the whistle this session. As Miyabino preforms some truly spectacular saves - which, subsequently, make up for his dismal performance the week before, Kidou approaches the assistant coach.</p><p>Set in a somewhat Alternate Universe. Ten years later, somewhere, someone meets an old friend or two. Genda and Sakuma meet again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sakuma

… Sakuma?  
  
It's on a train when he first sees him again. A well-groomed man hunched over his phone, and him, standing in the middle of the crowded evening train back to the city.  
  
The man looks up from his device. Then his eye widens when it skims the face of the person standing in front of him.  
  
Genda?  
  
He opens his mouth to say more, but the train slows to a smooth stop and passengers angle themselves towards the doors - too many people. It's his station too and he needs to get off - too little time.  
  
So his friend punches him in the gut instead.  
  
But Genda still manages to smile and repeat the name of his old friend before he's pushed out and away by a sea of bodies and onto the platform.  
  
By the time the train doors clip shut, he still hasn't quite registered what had just happened. As the train zooms past and all his fellow passengers have started their ascent to the main station, Genda is left brushing his abdomen.  
  
Fifth Sector or not, the bonds they're formed over the years past should be stronger than this. He begins to wonder if accepting that Utsunomiya's offer was a good idea.  
  
God damnit.  
  
Sakuma…

* * *

The whistle goes off so often at practice the next day, that Kidou has to step in and tell Sakuma to just _stop_.  
  
The players breath a sigh of relief. The goalkeeper's saves are much better now - it was difficult to try and stop someone from scoring when your hands were over your ears.  
  
Just to be sure, Kidou watches Sakuma's lips part from the damned thing but his annoyance fades when he sees little teethmarks on the plastic.  
  
He glances over at the assistant coach every so often.  
  
The team is dismissed from practice a little early and Kidou waves off the stragglers enthusiastically. Sakuma approaches him.  
  
" You ended practice early. "  
  
He sounds like he's accusing Kidou of murder.  
  
" We never end practice early. "  
  
" Sakuma… "  
  
" Don't ' _Sakuma_ ' me. They need to practice. "  
  
" Sakuma. I know you're a whistle-blowing maniac, but that was a lot. Even for you. " Kidou continues, " I'm a little worried. "  
  
That seems to catch Sakuma off-guard. Then he tches.  
  
" Sakuma, what happened? "  
  
" Nothing, that's what. "  
  
Kidou grasps his friend by the shoulders.  
  
" It's not nothing! Sakuma! I want to know so I can help you, and I worry about you because you're my _friend_ , not because I think you're _incompetent_. "  
  
Wrong move. Kidou realises too late he was talking far too loud to someone he was much too close to.  
  
Sakuma inhales sharply and tenses under his fingers, before he shoves Kidou away.  
  
" I'm _fine_. "  
  
With that, Sakuma turns around and heads off the pitch, long hair swaying.

* * *

He's clenching and unclenching his fists on the 5 o'clock train back home when he glimpses a flash of rust-coloured hair in the mainline transfer station. It quickly disappears again under the sea of workers.  
  
(Sakuma's convinced it was Genda)

~

The first thing he does when he gets home is throw his briefcase at the wall.  
  
Then he throws himself onto the couch, burying his face under a cushion. Colourful penguin plushies bob up and down at the sudden addition of weight.

~

 _" **SAKUMA**! "_  
  
_Everything has gone dark and red in both his eyes._  
  
_In the distance, he hears himself screaming in agony; the pain presides every other sensation._  
  
_Someone turns him on his side and clutches him to their chest. The touch that burns his body is the same as the one that warms his heart._  
  
_He hears something else:_  
_" No matter what happens, Sakuma, I'll be there for you. "_  
  
(Genda ended up leaving the hospital earlier than him.)

~

 _The day after_ his _departure, Sakuma wakes to the sound of monitors beeping. And the sound of a knife being unsheathed next to his head._  
  
_Sakuma's eye snaps open._  
  
_The long shadow cast over him is all too familiar. There's a ridiculous grin spread on the redhead's face._  
  
_" … Genda. "_  
  
_He opens his mouth to say something but Sakuma cuts in._  
  
_" What are you doing. "_  
  
_" Apple. "_  
  
_Genda holds up the fruit in his left hand and shakes it at him._  
  
_" No, what are you doing here."_  
  
_" Visiting! "_  
  
_" What about school? "_  
  
_The other boy laughs._  
  
_" Genda, please tell me you didn't... "_  
  
_" It's five o'clock in the evening. And they wouldn't let me stay for practice, so I came here. "_  
  
_Sakuma stares at him in disbelief._  
  
_" It's five, Sakuma. Really. " He smiles, " Who knew you could be so lazy? "_  
  
_" Hey, I'm hurt. Cut me some slack, would you? "_  
  
_Genda raises his knife._  
  
_" … No, Genda. I have an appointment soon. "_  
  
_"  You're having an apo with me right now. "_  
  
_Sakuma doesn't get it. Genda shows him the apple again._  
  
_(They have to press the nurse call button)_

~

 _He gets scolded for over exerting himself and Genda gets escorted (read: kicked) out._  
  
_As his friend leaves, he calls out over his shoulder:_ _" See? I said so. I said I'd always be here for you."_

~

" You're such a liar. "  
  
  " ... Genda? "    
  
(There's no response.)

* * *

When Kidou tries to go home, he finds the front gate hasn't been locked properly.  
  
He tentatively steps into his work apartment. There's a tell-tale orange glow of the refrigerator coming from behind the frosted glass panel of the shut living room door.  
  
A visitor. Kidou opens the door.  
  
" … "  
  
A messy head peeks over the fridge.  
  
" Oh! Hi! Kidou-kun! It's _lovely_ to see you. "  
  
Sarcasm drips from every word that comes out of Fudou's mouth and he's stressing all the wrong syllables.  
  
" … "  
  
Fudou stands and raises his hands in mock surrender as he kicks the fridge closed.  
  
Kidou raises an eyebrow when he hears the beer cans inside the other man's baggy jacket clang together. They all fall out and clatter on the polished wooden floor of his apartment.  
  
Fudou swears.  
  
" Fudou, I- "  
  
" I was _just_ on my way! Bye, Kidou-kun! "  
  
Fudou waltzes out, front door clicking shut smartly. Kidou watches the aluminium cans roll around on the floor.  
  
" What is it with people avoiding my questions today? "  
  
Then the door opens again and Kidou looks up. Fudou is sidled up against the wall, scanning the the living room with narrowed eyes.  
  
" … Is the coast clear? "  
  
" You just came out. "  
  
Fudou disguises his snigger as a violent coughing fit and Kidou ploughs on without waiting for a reply.  
  
" Just get back in here! "  
  
" Aw… that eager, are we, _Yuuto?_ "  
  
Kidou throws his briefcase at him.

* * *

Sakuma's local supermarket chain had some system malfunction earlier in the day. Nearly twelve hours later, it still hasn't been resolved. He resorted to having to pop by the next nearest convenience store in the evening to feed himself.  
  
… Only to find goddamn _Genda_ there too.  
  
This is getting ridiculous.  
  
Sakuma clutches his leeks in one hand and aggressively re-inserts his point card through the slot with the other (it won't read, the piece of crap)  
  
___  
  
Genda's tried to start the self-service microwave about fifty times already, but to no avail. His dinner remains stubbornly cold. He looks up for a store clerk, but, instead, finds his gaze drawn to some freak manhandling the e-reader.  
  
It's Sakuma.  
  
He's attracted the attention of the few night-owl patrons in the store. By the time he realises he's causing a commotion, Sakuma, at the very least, has the grace to look embarrassed. Genda starts laughing.  
  
His eye narrows and the long-haired man storms over. When he catches the phrase _Miku_ , Sakuma snaps - slamming his vegetables into Genda's face.  
  
(The store manager asks them to leave politely)  
  
Genda leaves without eating dinner and Sakuma, without his loyalty card points.  
  
___  
  
He's still laughing when they walk out the door. Sakuma turns to leave, but Genda catches him by the arm.  
  
" You owe me, you know? "  
  
" … Huh? "  
  
" Didn't make you look like the only idiot in the store. "  
  
" _Oh. Wow. Thank you very much._ " Sakuma says sarcastically.  
  
" Seriously though. You do owe me. " Genda holds up his (still cold, hastily re-sealed) microwavable dinner, " My dinner, 'til you showed up. Treat me. "  
  
" Hell no. "  
  
" You have to though. Treat me to dinner. "  
  
" No! "  
  
" _You punched me on the train last week._ "  
  
" T-that was - "  
  
" _Sakuma…_ "  
  
Genda shakes his head and presses the back of his hand to his forehead, " You promised, that after Commander, you would _never_ revert back to your _violent, junior highschool ways._ "  
  
" T- "  
  
" Remember when Teikoku used to _destroy other schools and force their soccer teams to disband?_ "  
  
" W-well… "  
  
" Remember when _you_ used to _aim your_ _shoots_ _at other players?_ " Genda's practically shouting, " Remember when _you_ beat up _Endou_ with a soccer ball? And when- "  
  
" What do you want from me!? "  
  
" And back in _SHIN TEIKOKU -_   "  
  
" Dinner! Okay! I'll treat you to dinner! Goddamnit! "  
  
___  
  
It's so late that nothing but the convenience store (like hell they're walking back in there) is open. They walk to the next station to find a casual restaurant.  
  
" Fun working with at Teikoku? "  
  
Sakuma settles with a disinterested hum.  
  
" Eh, the students nowadays are much better than we were. " Genda pauses to order an oolong highball, " I don't see _them_ demolishing schools or beating up other people with soccer balls. "  
  
" Please stop. "  
  
" Heh. Want to try the carbonara toppoki? " He waits for Sakuma to flip through the menu, fingers lightly drumming the order bell.  
  
" Sure. "  
  
They've been eating quietly, so, naturally, Genda starts at the sound of Sakuma's voice.  
  
" Cute kid. " Sakuma says suddenly.  
  
" … What? " Genda's chopsticks are partway to his mouth.  
  
" Though, at times, a little eager to impress. " He still looks a little lost in thought, " … You asked about Teikoku. "  
  
" … Oh. " Genda chews his rice cake, " I thought I was going to some scoop on a kid who surpassed Kidou in your heart. "  
  
" Oh, shut up. " The ice clinks as he swirls his glass, " He's a goalkeeper. Pretty good. "  
  
" You sure he's not a SEED? "  
  
Sakuma snorts and simply doesn't grace Genda with a reply. The other man continues:  
" Was I better? "  
  
" Really? "  
  
" Sakuma? "  
  
" Please, _Gennou_. "  
  
" Was I, though? "  
  
" … K.O.G, remember? "  
  
Genda looks ridiculously pleased with himself. Sakuma downs the rest of his drink, slightly miffed.  
  
" Conceited ass. You just had to hear me say it, didn't you? "  
  
" Touché. "

~

( " Oh, also, Genda, I always knew you were into vocaloids. "  
  
" Get _off_ your classical music high horse already. You weren't the one dealing with Narukami _and_ his double-texting all the way through senior high. "  
  
" ' _Touché._ ' "  
  
" _Shut up._ " )  
  
___  
  
Genda, apparently, can't hold his alcohol.  
  
( " Where do you live? "  
  
" There. " His friend(?) points in the general direction of a dustbin.  
  
" … Right. " )  
  
This was going to be a long night.

* * *

He's considerably more sober after the walk to Sakuma's apartment complex. They're on the escalator up when Genda suddenly asks him if he hates him or something.  
  
Sakuma says he doesn't. Not really anyways.

~

Genda's speechless when he walks into Sakuma's apartment. Then he starts smiling. His host shoots him a warning glare.  
  
" Don't…. ! "  
  
Genda barely manages to suppress a snicker in time. The first thing he sees are the seven penguin soft toys (colours of the rainbow…?) lying on Sakuma's couch.  
  
" You're adorable, you know that? "  
  
He slips off his dress shoes by the entry step. Chortling, he pats the top of the shorter man's head condescendingly.  
  
" Too cute. "  
  
Sakuma actually bites Genda's fingers.  
  
( " Holy crap! What are you doing? "  
  
" Shut it. Don't patronise me." )

* * *

Sakuma hasn't touched the whistle this session. As Miyabino preforms some truly spectacular saves - which, subsequently, make up for his dismal performance the week before, Kidou approaches the assistant coach.  
  
" Good weekend? "  
  
He pats Sakuma's shoulder. Steel-coloured hair shifts around the man's tan neck (for a split second, Kidou swears he can see a discolouration between the thin strands) as he turns to face him.  
  
" Hm? "  
  
Then Sakuma smiles.  
  
" Yeah. Great weekend. "

**END**

**Author's Note:**

> extra: 10 years ago: K.O.G
> 
> " Hey, Genda? "
> 
> Fudou approaches them one afternoon, with a grim face. Sakuma lifts the coffee cup to his lips thoughtfully. Genda raises his eyebrows. 
> 
> " Can I ask you something, Genda? "
> 
> Fudou's expression hasn't wavered in the slightest. Even Kidou puts down his book.
> 
> " Yeah, sure, Fudou."
> 
> " You're the King Of Keepers, right? "
> 
> " Well, that's what the commentators like to call me… "
> 
> " You're really okay with them calling you a KOK? "
> 
> Sakuma chokes on his coffee.
> 
> From then on, Genda insisted on the title: ' King Of Goalkeepers '


End file.
